Men charged with forcing woman into prostitution to pay debts

Rick Rojas

Two alleged pimps — accused of smuggling a Mexican woman into Orange County and forcing her into prostitution to pay off the debt of an ill family member — were arraigned Wednesday on charges related to human trafficking and prostitution, prosecutors said.

Victor Lara Romero, 32, and Gustavo Romero Clemente, 35, have each been charged with one felony count of human trafficking, one felony count of pimping and one felony count of pandering, according to a statement from the Orange County district attorney's office.

The men, both Anaheim residents, could be sentenced to a maximum of 20 years in state prison, if convicted, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors said that Romero knew the 29-year-old woman and had given her money when a family member became ill.

When she was unable to repay, Romero allegedly told her that he could smuggle her into the U.S. to work in a clothing store to pay off the debt. Prosecutors said he got her into the country through Texas and brought her to Southern California, but never arranged for her to get a legitimate job.

Last December and January, prosecutors said, Romero arranged for the woman to stay in a room in Clemente's Anaheim apartment, then ordered her to work as a prostitute to repay the debt.

She resisted and refused, according to prosecutors, but Romero allegedly beat her — strangling and punching her, beating her with a belt, and burning her leg with a fork. Prosecutors said she had to wear makeup to cover the bruises to her face.

Prosecutors said the two men isolated the woman, limiting phone calls to her family to once or twice a week — calls the men would monitor.

The two men allegedly served as her pimps, setting prices for various sex acts and collected payment from customers.

In January, prosecutors said, the woman was able to call 911 using a cellphone left behind at one point while Romero and Clemente were arguing outside.